The Curta. To those who are familiar
with old mechanical calculating equipment, the name brings to mind thoughts
of high precision machining, extreme mechanical design, and, to those who've
been lucky enough to use one, the wonderful feel of the mechanism in operation.
To those unknowing, seeing a Curta for the first time, impressions range
from a high-tech pencil-sharpener, a 'personal' pepper-grinder, or some
weird kind of high-tech fishing reel.

The Curta calculator is a marvel of
mechanical engineering. Into this somewhat odd-looking, but wonderfully
comfortable to hold device, is packed the mechanical equivalent of today's
handheld four-function electronic calculator. The Curta can add, subtract,
multiply, and divide, and in the hands of an experienced operator, can
do so at surprising speeds.

Curta calculators were produced between
1947 and sometime in the very early '70's. The machine was designed by
Curt Herzstark during World War II, and once the war ended, Contina Ltd.,
in Mauren, Liechenstein began producing the machines. Curtas were sold
at camera shops and business machine stores through the early '70's, or
could be purchased direct through a US discributor. The Curta machines
today have developed almost a cult following, with an avid base of collectors,
and recently, via internet auction sites such as eBay,
rapidly escalating value, with a recent prime-condition Curta selling for
over $1700. Curta calculators gained a real following in road-rally competitions,
where their small size, high speed, and ease of use made them almost indespensible
for rally navigators to use to calculate the right speeds for drivers to
maintain to hit the leg times of rally coarses as closely as possible.
Originally, Curtas were very popular with civil engineers, surveyors, and
those who had to do 'math on the run'.

Two different models of the Curta were
produced. The Type I, the first introduced, has a result capacity of up
to 11 digits, and the later (beginning production in 1954) Type II, which
generates results to 15 digits.